Linking Strategic and Operational Change - Operation Strategy

Quinn (1988) criticises those who see strategy formulation and implementation as the 'classic trap' where despite elaborate planning systems executives in large corporations tend to use similar incremental processes as they manage complex strategy shifts. Pettigrew and Whipp (1994) support the view that strategy should be interpretive rather than authoritative. The formulation of strategy and strategy implementation, they argue, should be considered a parallel rather than sequential activity and continuous and iterative rather than once every few years. Intentions must be broken down into actions and the effects of those actions determined.

Initiatives to support business strategy can be classified as either hard or soft. Hard relate to technical systems and products; soft relate to people.